Methods of Training Your Dog

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All dog owners have one wish in common: that their pet should obey his commands. According to the breed and temperament of the dog in question and the training method used, this training can be short an fun or long and tiring. What forms a crucial link in this training is clear communication and understanding between the trainer and the dog and skill set of the trainer. Training programs designed in modern times take into account canine breed, psychology and behavior patterns.

Before you begin training your dog, ask yourself a couple of very crucial questions and keep in mind a few important points:

1. Does your dog refuse to obey your orders?

If the answer is yes, it might well be the case that it fails to understand your commands. This is a very common problem, though not necessarily a very difficult one. The solution is not to start training a dog right away once you bring it home. Give it time to adjust to its surroundings, to get comfortable with you, to establish a strong bond with you. You would be surprised how much easier you would find it to communicate to your dog and for it to follow your commands.

2. When you call out to it, using its name, does it dog respond or look away?

Attracting and maintaining a dog’s attention has been reported to be a concern by many a dog owner, and it has been found that the problem is more prevalent among puppies than in adult dogs, as puppies tend to get more distracted by their immediate surroundings than adult dogs.

As puppies take to training faster than adult dogs, it is important to teach the puppy to respond to its name right at a very young age. It is not possible to train a dog who doesn’t respond to its name as it will be very difficult to command it. You can start by calling out its name and gesturing for it to come to you. Each time it complies, reward it with a pat or a small treat. Gradually he would associate responding to its name to treats and rewards and praise. Keep practicing.

3. Are you short tempered or impatient?

You should remember that unlimited patience, persistence and perseverance would be necessary to train your dog. Before beginning training, ask yourself if you are up for it. Losing your patience or temper with your dog might lead you to be harsh with your dog or abuse/ punish it, which can inflict permanent psychological damage in your dog leading to behavioral problems.

4. Refrain from scolding your dog when it does wrong.

On the other hand, offer generous rewards and praises when the dog does something right. Positive reinforcement works wonders in dog training. He would be trained fast if only out of his drive to please you. For that, you need to communicate to it that you appreciate the effort he is putting in and his progress.

Ways of Dealing with Your Dog's Behavioral Problems

No dog owner can help being angry when his dog tears his favorite suit to shreds or when he receives a flurry of complaints from neighbors the dog has bitten. However, what most dog owners fail to take into consideration is that there might be a deep-seated reason for the dog to behave aggressively. It might well be the case that improper or inadequate training on your part is responsible for it to be behaving this way.

A well trained is surely going to be the owner’s pride and neighbor’s envy. On the other hand, an inadequately or improperly trained dog can make your life a living nightmare!

The most common forms of behavioral problems are incessant barking, refusing to obey commands, biting, destroying furniture and other property, scampering or jumping and overall aggressive behavior.

If your dog exhibits one or more of these symptoms, don’t despair. Following these pointers should curb the problem.

1. It is the responsibility of the trainer to instinctively understand the concerns of the dog and impart proper training to raise a well-behaved dog that can be a pleasure to have as company. It is equally important to communicate to your dog what you expect from him and impart apt training in order to curb aggressive and overall ill behavior.

2. Puppies take to training faster than adult dogs. Catch them young! But make sure you share a strong bond and comfort level with your dog before embarking on training.

3. Socializing is a crucial part of training. And for a dog, socialization includes both humans and other dogs. A dog training school or a playground (where dogs are allowed) might help it to mingle with other dogs. Introduce your dog to your friends, family and acquaintances, especially those who also love dogs. Unsocialized dogs have been known to be wary of other beings and prone to hiding under the bed, and worse, biting and attacking, when it feels threatened by the presence of another being. The ease of making your dog a social being depends on its breed. Breeds like Golden Retrievers and Labradors are naturally social and love the company of humans. Some other breeds like Dobermans and Rottweilers prefer being only with a single master and thus need special training in socialization.

4. Inadequate or no exercise is another very common cause of aggressiveness in dogs. Just as food is not just for the thin, exercise is not for big dogs only. All dogs need the same amount of exercise, though they might vary in the intensity of exercise they are comfortable with. Terrier breeds are very fond of running around while big dogs like Great Danes like strolling slowly. There is no dog which wouldn’t enjoy a good walk in the garden or park. Taking your dog out for a walk is also a great way to establish that very crufial bond between the caregiver and the pet.

5. If you find it beyond yourself to train your dog or correct its behavioral problems, or even as a part of its socialization training, taking recourse to a dog training school might be a good idea. Professional obedience training generally works very well in curbing aggressive or ill behavior in dogs.

Obedience Training

1. Don’t even consider starting on obedience training before your dog has grown comfortable with you, rather, before there has been a strong bond established between you two. For your dog to understand your commands and be willing to obey them, effective communication is the key, which can be established through obedience training.

2. The basic level of obedience training comprises of simple commands like ‘Go’, ‘Stay’, ‘No’, ‘Sit’, ‘heel’ and the like. Before embarking on more complex commands, make absolutely certain that your dog obeys these simple commands to the letter.

3. If you are confident of imparting proper obedience training or lack the time or patience for it, don’t attempt it yourself, thus putting the dog at a risk of developing ill behavior. Rather, enroll your dog ina professional dog training school.

4. It is not an impossible task to train a dog into becoming a gentle, fun, pleasant companion. All it takes is a lot of positive thinking, patience, time and the right methods of training. For that, it is very crucial to stick to the training and not give up midway.

Dog Training Schools

Dog training schools boast of professional trainers who have the requisite experience and expertise to tackle and train all breeds of dogs and puppies, small or big, well behaved or aggressive.

However, to make the dog training school a fruitful experience for your dog, do keep a few pointers in mind when selecting a dog training school:

1. make sure the trainers in the school must be certified professionals with at least 5-6 years of relevant experience behind them.

2. The school should be registered and nationally recognized.

3. Take your time to look around the school and the training imparted and speak to the trainers to see if you like the mode of training.

A typical Dog Training School imparts three different types of training:

1. Month-long Kindergarten Puppy Training Course (Priced usually at $100-$300)

2. Basic Obedience Training Course (Priced usually at $200-$500)

3. Dog Socialization Course.

4. A comprehensive training package which includes all the 3 courses mentioned above (Priced usually at $220-$650).

When you take your dog for admission at one such school, don’t forget to carry along his vaccination certificates, a leash and collar, and his favorite treats.

However, even the most expensive, renowned training institute might miss out on some vital pointers and practical solutions to your dog’s unique problems, which are beyond training guidebooks and pre-structured training schedules.

Don’t despair. The Woof Factor is here to rescue you from this problem. Our site was conceived and constructed with the singular aim of helping out dog owners and trainers. The Woof Factor provides you vital tips and tricks on raising your dog, impart proper training and groom it so that you can be proud of it.

We offer comprehensive short courses on different facets of training, grooming and caring for your dog which you can implement by yourself at home. All you need to do to get this vast storehouse of information sent to your mailbox is log in to download the Dog Training Guide we are offering.